Big This

Food trends are an inevitable part of modern culture and 2017 has been absolutely full of them. In an age where we are increasingly concerned about what we eat, food trends often serve the greater good. Food trends nowadays either promote a healthier or more ethical diet. Sometimes they promote both.

Yet, there is a lot of controversy surrounding food trends. As the number of Instagram food bloggers sky-rockets, it is worth asking: who can we really trust? Do these insta-famous models really know as much as they claim to with regards to nutrition? It can certainly pay to be sceptical when it comes to food trends.

Nevertheless, there are plenty of food trends that have cropped up in 2017 that are completely harmless to try. Here are a few of our faves.

Tacos

Who would have thought that this age-old Mexican dish would suddenly take the limelight? Regional foods have been à la mode for some time now but it seems like the taco is reigning supreme. Simple yet delicious, these Latin delights consist of meat and/or veggies with a bit of mole, guacamole and salsa in a folded tortilla. There are even some more adventurous options if you’re feeling daring, with ingredients such as tongue, tripe and brain.

Instagrammable Food

Some of the most popular celebrities on Instagram are cups of coffee with arty swirls in the milk. Food that you can Instagram is far more popular than regular food and restaurant know this. They are becoming increasingly aware that millennials value Instagram-ability and are willing to pay for it just to get some of those oh-so validating likes on social media. With this in mind, expect to see restaurants paying for more attention to food presentation in the near future.

Bugs

“There’s no way I’m eating that”. I don’t blame anyone for uttering this when bugs are on the menu. But, maybe it’s not as bad as you think. Eating a variety of different bugs is the norm in Asia and other parts of the world. But, the West still has to come to terms with it. Deep-fried crickets and other creepy-crawlies are sneaking on to the scene as is flour made from pulverised insects. Would you eat a cake made from bug flour?

Purple Food

It used to be the case that only those willing to traipse through farmers’ markets had the privilege of eating purple food. Now, this unusual colour is making it mainstream as supermarkets start stocking up on purple food. Corn, potatoes and cauliflower are just some of the foods that can be naturally purple, depending on which vitamins and nutrients they contain. Blend colours together for the ultimate breadth of goodness.

Edible Cookie Dough

Of course, we have to end on something a little bit naughty. We were all warned as children not to eat cookie dough because of the risk posed from the raw eggs it contains. I think we all did it anyway but that’s beside the point. Now those fears are gone thanks to the creation of edible cookie dough. This delicious wonder is either made without eggs altogether or with pasteurised eggs, so it is safely salmonella free. Finally! Now pass us a spoon.